Former APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank, has issued a clarion call to leaders of the opposition coalition seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027: focus on merit, not regional sentiments.
In a strongly worded statement from Abuja, Frank warned that pushing for a “Southern-only” presidency risks derailing the coalition’s momentum and dividing the country further.
“Nigerians need a competent and compassionate president, not a Northern or Southern figurehead,” Frank said. “The coalition must be a movement of national unity—not ethnic bias.”
Frank stressed that the 2027 race must be thrown open to all aspirants from across Nigeria, regardless of region or religion, saying that Nigeria’s crisis is one of leadership failure—not geography.
“Let the best candidate emerge through free, fair, and credible primaries. Whether North or South, what matters is capacity, character, and credibility.”
He challenged those agitating for a Southern-only ticket to reflect on the historical record: even under regional presidents, people from their zones still felt neglected.
“Southerners complained about Jonathan and Obasanjo. Northerners lamented under Buhari. We must stop this illusion that geography guarantees good governance.”
Frank, who also serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, cautioned against ethnic blackmail wrapped in populist rhetoric.
“What Nigeria needs now is rescue—not rotation. The country is bleeding. This coalition must unite around ideas, not tribal flags.”
He also noted that, since 1999, the South has ruled longer—18 years to the North’s 10—and warned that insisting on a Southern candidate could spark internal crisis in the coalition.
“I’m a Southerner, but I stand with truth. This is not about whose turn it is. It’s about who can lead us out of crisis.”
Frank urged the coalition’s leadership, especially in the ADC, to uphold internal democracy and resist calls for zoning.
“This must be a people’s movement. The real goal is to defeat poverty, insecurity, and hopelessness—not to coronate one region over the other.”
Comrade Timi Frank
